Session 1A Meaningful use 2010 Journey - focusing on the goals of

Session 1A: Meaningful use 2010 Journey ‐ focusing on the goals of meaningful use while reaping the benefits
Thursday, April 28th, 9:30 ‐ 10:20 am
Session Description
Our organization’s journey began in 1999 and continues today, just like many of your organizations.... Negotiating the path in a pediatric, academic medical
center with a strategic vision of pre‐eminence and maintaining day to day operations is a balancing act. Our pragmatic approach to reaching and sustaining
meaningful use provides a method to divide and conquer. Meaningful Use Incentives compliment the good work underway with the EHR to improve
patient care and enhancing patient safety. These are lofty words, that reflect the hard work completed and yet to come.
Recognizing the right team membership and tools to monitor progress towards meaningful use has been key to our success. Solid, consistent
communication has allowed this to be seen as a wonderful benefit, not a lot of hard work. The core team members stay constant but adhoc members
participate as needed. Road blocks were diminished by 3 Vice Presidents with varied responsibilities.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Describe components of meaningful use
Objective 2: List methods of assessing compliance
Objective 3: Discuss plans to educate staff on meaningful use
Objective 4: Identify 3 ways to ensure physician participation
Speakers
Katherine Lusk, RHIA, Director Electronic Health Record, Children's Medical Center of Dallas
Katherine Lusk has 30+ years in health care progressing to her current position of Director of Electronic Health Record Implementation. Her organization
achieved HIMSS Analytics Level 7 designation in July 2010. She has also served as Director Health Information Management, Regional Supervisor for the
state peer review organization, and Assistant Vice President Patient Information Services.
Session 2A: EHR Alternative Certification for Healthcare Providers, a federally‐authorized certification for installed EHR technology
Thursday, April 28th, 9:30 ‐ 10:20 am
Session Description
As healthcare providers anticipate the benefits of federal incentive payments for meaningful use of certified EHR technology, some face an unexpected
hurdle. Many will be able to meet the EHR certification requirement through use of certified EHR technology purchased from vendors, but many may need
to achieve it on their own. Many providers have built their IT capacity over the past decade or so, through multiple commercial products, internal
development or a mix of both. Without the ability to certify this technology, providers may lack the first prerequisite for qualifying for incentives. It’s the
goal of CCHIT’s EHR Alternative Certification for Healthcare Providers (EACH™) program to meet that need.
For healthcare providers with a mix of HIT, the benefits of this approach include: preserving credit for existing IT investment, exposing any technology gaps
to be filled, and avoiding substantial replacement of systems.
This option enables these providers to demonstrate the IT support deemed necessary to achieve the “meaningful use” results. This program is for providers
with EHR technology already in place including uncertified legacy software, customized commercial products, or EHRs that were self‐developed to suit their
individual needs. It enables them to: evaluate how their EHR measures up to HHS requirements and pursue certification of their existing EHR technology.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Understand the requirements of federal certification for the purposes of supporting meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs)
Objective 2: Recognize the role of federally Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ATCBs) in certifying complete and modular EHRs
Objective 3: Discuss the difficulties in achieving “certified EHR technology” status for self‐developed, legacy or heavily customized EHR software already
installed at a healthcare provider site
Objective 4: Learn about an alternative program for certifying EHRs as installed at a healthcare provider site
Speakers
Alisa Ray, Executive Director, CCHIT
Ms. Ray supports the work of CCHIT’s Commissioners, Trustees and volunteer work groups. She manages business operations, developing resources to carry
out CCHIT’s work. She executed a federal contract to develop certification criteria and inspection processes and oversaw the launch of EHR certification
programs. She was previously at NCQA. Ms. Ray received a MHSA and BS from the U. of Michigan.
Dennis Wilson, Certification Technology Director, CCHIT
Mr. Wilson is responsible for the IT systems designed to support EHR certification by CCHIT. He has represented CCHIT on the NHIN working groups, and
served as liaison to NIST. Before joining CCHIT, Mr. Wilson had 13 years of executive business and product development experience with several HIT vendor
companies. He earned both his BS and MS degrees from Texas A&M University.
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Session 1B: Clinical Decision Support: More than a Supplement to CPOE
Thursday, April 28th, 1:30 ‐ 2:20 pm
Session Description
Clinical Decision Support (CDS) plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness of delivering patient care. This presentation will complement the article “Clinical
Decision Support: More than a Supplement to CPOE”, which is tentatively scheduled for the spring 2011 issue of JHIM. The presentation will review the
driving forces of quality improvement and cost containment within the American healthcare system that compel the incorporation of CDS. Decision support
mechanisms within healthcare organizations have progressed from stand‐alone systems to the current emphasis of CDS integration with Computerized
Provider Order Entry (CPOE).
The role and full impact of CDS is not confined to creating alerts in response to a placed order. This presentation will explore synergies of incorporating CDS
at appropriate points of providers’ and other clinicians’ workflow including clinical processes such as clinical surveillance and screening, structured
documentation, electronic Medication Administration Record (e‐MAR) and electronic Transfusion Administration Record (e‐TAR). Furthermore, the
presentation will illustrate proficient uses of CDS protocols which are utilized by the entire care team 24 hours a day.
The ability of CDS to have a transformational impact on clinician’s decision processes and outcomes depends upon: deployment strategies that lead to
successful clinician adoption, strategies for continued maturation and the ability to improve outcomes in the patient care process.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Describe principles used to effectively implement Clinical Decision Support (CDS)
Objective 2: Understand current (national) state of CDS and the impact it may have on patient care if successfully implemented
Objective 3: Appreciate the expanding scope of CDS beyond Order Entry
Speakers
Kathy Putler, Director, Dearborn Advisors LLC
Kathy Putler is a Registered Nurse with over 25 years experience in healthcare nursing and administration, 10 of which have been focused on information
technology. She specializes in Epic information systems planning, system design and process re‐design, implementation and optimization of integrated care
delivery systems encompassing inpatient, ambulatory and revenue cycle areas.
Todd Klein, Delivery Service Executive, Dearborn Advisors LLC
Mr. Klein, MBA, PMP, CPHIMS, CCNA has over 17 years in Healthcare and Information Technology, providing strategic planning and PMO leadership in
healthcare. Mr. Klein has extensive experience in managing large implementations associated with a variety of healthcare vendor applications.
Session 2B: Is Social Media Use in Health Care Risky Business?
Thursday, April 28th, 1:30 ‐ 2:20 pm
Session Description
Recent trends in our health care system show our ever increasing reliance on technology to reduce our health disparities and expand our access to care.
Since our launch of health 2.0, usage of social media devices and platforms has markedly increased throughout our health care system. Our health care
enterprises are not content with using web pages or e‐mail to acquire and disseminate health information. Unfortunately, with the good come some
untended and bad consequences when our social media devices and networks share too much information, produce socially unacceptable behaviors, or
create relationships that violate our ethical and legal norms. Our misadventures have led to sanctioning and dismissals of medical students, staff, and
employees, court actions, and disciplinary actions by a variety of professional licensing boards. Health information and data sharing practices have led
patients to worry about their confidentiality, privacy, and security. Many believe the best way for us to avoid its downsides is to develop sound risk
management strategies that use carefully crafted policies and procedures coupled with a strong emphasis on education. This presentation covers reviews
the risks, benefits, and strategies that may help us all enjoy social media use in health care without its headaches.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Identify the different uses of social media in our modern health care institutions.
Objective 2: Cite and identify the risks and benefits of social media use within our health care institutions.
Objective 3: Cite and analyze the ethical and legal concerns of social media use with our health care institutions.
Objective 4: Identify and develop risk strategies to limit liabilities arising from social media use within our health care institutions.
Speakers
Archie A. Alexander, MD, JD, LLM, Adjunct Instructor (health law and ethics) of Health Administration, LSU‐Shreveport
Archie A. Alexander is a practicing health law attorney in Austin, where he focuses on health law and health care policy, and bioethics. His primary practice
interests include diagnostic and emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and health information technology. He is an adjunct instructor in the
department of health administration at LSU‐Shreveport where he teaches health law and ethics.
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Session 1C: Meaningful Use of HIT: A Road Map for Multi‐Disciplinary Teams to Advance the Needed Workforce
Thursday, April 28th, 2:30 ‐ 3:20 pm
Session Description
The need for expanded access to care under Reform and quality issues coupled with escalating health care costs are key drivers calling for a technologically
advanced healthcare profession. For patient safety and quality concerns, several organizations have issued a call for caution as HIT implementation and
meaningful use proliferates. The IOM along with the RWJ Foundation represent one transformational call to action where support for the advancement of
nursing and its integral role in the expansion and utilization of health information technology are outlined. Most importantly, the report stated that, care
will be provided in “an interoperable digital commons” requiring more effective multidisciplinary teams. Clinicians including nurses, physicians and allied
health professionals are integral to HIT deployment and key players in the organizational impact. Studies have indicated that multi‐disciplinary change
management is associated with safe & effective HIT implementations. HIT literacy across the continuum of care along with communication, collaboration &
coordination with all stakeholders is critical. This presentation will provide a road map for workforce development emphasizing a team approach in the
current practice and academic settings. Addressing questions of: How do we prepare clinicians for suspected inaccuracy of electronic information, how to
address it & how does a multi‐disciplinary team help these types of situations?
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Identify at least three characteristics of safe and effective health information technology implementation team.
Objective 2: Explore the impact of multi‐disciplinary teams on interoperability deployment.
Objective 3: Discuss characteristics of successful organizational change management in a rapidly advancing HIT environment
Objective 4: Discuss workforce development implications including a focus on multi‐disciplinary teams and top education priorities
Speakers
Susan McBride, RN, PhD, Professor and Sr. Advisory to the West Texas REC, TTUHSC
Dr. McBride is a clinician with 25 years of experience in clinical, management and healthcare informatics. Her focus is on education/research &
development of healthcare services to improve health and clinical outcomes. Dr. McBride is a Professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
teaching doctoral courses in informatics & statistics. She is a senior advisor to the West Texas REC.
Mari Tietze PhD, RN‐BC, FHIMSS, Associate Professor, TWU
Dr. Tietze was Dir. of Nursing Research and Informatics, DFW Hospital Council – Fdn FDN? and a key team member awarded an $8.4 million grant for a REC.
In 2010, became Associate Professor at Texas Woman’s University, College of Nursing, Dallas Center. Is Board certified by the American Nurses
Credentialing Center in Nursing Informatics.
Joseph Schneider, MD, Vice President and Chief Medical Information Officer, Baylor Health Care System and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics,
University of Texas Southwestern.
Dr. Schneider is Vice President and Chief Medical Information Officer of the Baylor Health Care System in Dallas. His academic interest is on the safety of
EHRs and personal health record systems. Dr. Schneider is chair of the Texas Medical Association ad hoc Committee on Health Information Technology and
chair of the Medicaid Health Information Exchange Advisory Committee for the State of Texas. He is also the immediate past chair of the American Academy
of Pediatrics Council on Clinical Information Technology, helped lead the development of the Continuity of Care Record Standard, and was on the
Certification Commission for HIT (CCHIT) Process Workgroup.
Session 2C: The Methodist HIE: Meaningful information for both hospitals and Providers
Thursday, April 28th, 2:30 ‐ 3:20 pm
Session Description
The presentation walks through challenges that The Methodist Hospital System faced delivering results efficiently and effectively to outlying physicians. It
demonstrates statistics that support how missing information can impact patient care in terms of duplicative tests, delayed care, additional visits, etc.
I walk through the 3 phases that Methodist has used to deploy their HIE: dropbox, Web portal, integration into hospital EMR. I also have screen shots to
show what the various tools look like. We go through a case study that discusses how an ACO will work in the future and how an HIE will be the driving tool
to support collaborative care across multiple caregivers.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Describe the process involved in planning an HIE implementation
Objective 2: List three phases that Methodist has used to implement their HIE
Objective 3: Explore how HIE's can move an organization closer to becoming an ACO
Speakers
Ehab Shoukry, IT Director ‐ Physician Systems, The Methodist Hospital System
Over the last several years, Ehab's focus has been geared toward delivering IT solutions that improve physician workflows both inside and outside the walls
of a hospital. Ehab has worked with several major healthcare organizations in Houston to develop and implement cutting edge technology around various
solutions including physician portals, HIE's, patient portals, CPOE and ambulatory EMR's.
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Session 1D: Meaningful Use: What Does It Mean for Nurses?
Thursday, April 28th, 4:15 ‐ 5:05 pm
Session Description
‘‘Meaningful use’’ is defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to describe the use of Health Information Technology (HIT) to further
interoperability of information exchange among health care professionals. Recent legislation outlines directives for “meaningful use” (MU) though few
organizations are well positioned to implement them. Because non‐compliant hospitals risk losing millions of reimbursement dollars, this presentation
discusses the key role nurses will play in meeting the requirements for each stage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
ARRA was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. Between 2011 and 2015, hospitals and providers can receive millions of dollars in
incentives for meeting ARRA MU criteria. The ARRA program relies on reporting to prove specific data is captured related to hospital quality measures,
computerized provider order entry (CPOE), data sharing capabilities throughout the patient’s continuum of care, and patient access to information are in
place.
ARRA will provide direction for EHR incentive programs, including a definition of meaningful use for certified EHR technology. ARRA will occur in 3 stages
identified by year. Nurses have a key role in meeting the requirements for each stage of ARRA and using technology to support MU. This presentation will
address the impact to nurses providing direct patient care, nurse leaders, and nurse executives.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Review requirements of the 3 stages of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Objective 2: Identify at least 4 innovations related to ARRA which must occur to achieve meaningful use.
Objective 3: Describe 3 ways the role of the nurse contributes to meeting ARRA requirements.
Speakers
Barbara Klepfer, MSN, RN, Director, Nursing Informatics, Seton Family of Hospitals
Developed, planned, analyzed, designed, tested, implemented, evaluated & maintenance of a patient centric electronic health record (EHR) for the past 7
years; Past‐chair & member of Ascension Health Nursing Informatics Council & Clinical Program Advisory Council; A member of HIMSS, ANIA‐CARING, &
AONE; Completed graduate course work with a specialization in Nursing Informatics
Jeffrey Gregory, MSN, RN, CPN, Project Coordinator Lead, Seton Family of Hospitals
Developed, planned, analyzed, designed, tested, implemented, evaluated & maintenance of a patient centric electronic health record (EHR) for the past 5
years; member of Ascension Health Nursing Informatics Council; Chairperson for Seton Nursing Informatics Specialty Council; member of HIMSS & ANIA‐
CARING; Completed graduate course work with a specialization in Nursing Informatics
Session 2D: Accountable Care Organizations: Overview and the role of information technology
Thursday, April 28th, 4:15 ‐ 5:05 pm
Session Description
The past decade has provided tremendous insights based on demonstrations and pilot projects related to healthcare quality and payment reform and led
our nation to this point of transition in healthcare delivery system reform. This presentation will examine a number of issues and pertinent literature from
healthcare germane material, regulatory guidance, and historical legislation to support ideas and concepts presented. A number of models are provided for
participants to convey visually the underlying and most critical issues being discussed. For this presentation, special focus will be given to information
technologies which are the underpinnings of a successful ACO infrastructure. This presentation is based on the newly released book, “Accountable Care
Organizations: A Roadmap for Success”, which presents a culmination of important and timely issues being dealt with by healthcare providers, physician
practices, insurers, and government agencies with regard to the movement for establishing accountable care organizations (ACOs).
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Identify the numerous information technologies supporting the accountable care organization
Objective 2: Describe challenges to ACO development related to governance and stakeholder alignment
Objective 3: Identify financial impacts associated with the accountable care organization
Objective 4: List potential anti‐trust and regulatory issues associated with the accountable care organization
Speakers
Colin Konschak, FHIMSS, FACHE, Managing Partner, DIVURGENT
Colin B. Konschak, RPh, MBA, FACHE, FHIMSS is an author, speaker, and a founding partner of DIVURGENT, a healthcare management consulting firm. Colin
leads DIVURGENT's Advisory Services Practice.
Mary Staley‐Sirois, Principal, DIVURGENT
Mary Staley‐Sirois, Principal of DIVURGENT’s clinical transformation practice, brings nearly 20 years of healthcare operational and strategic planning
experience across a wide spectrum of provider environments.
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Session 1E: Productivity and Clinical IT ‐ Are We Getting More Efficient?
Friday, April 29th, 8:30 ‐ 9:20 am
Session Description
Hospital leaders faced with the prospect of large investments in clinical information technology seek some objective returns on those investments. Often
cited as such a return is increased operational efficiencies through improved labor productivity. It is also often thought that the longer a hospital uses a
clinical IT application, the more efficient they get in using that technology. Using data from the HIMSS Analytics database and records filed by hospitals in
their annual Medicare Cost Reports, this session will review recent findings by the University of Texas School of Public Health on the linkage between use of
clinical IT applications and labor productivity in hospitals.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Discuss the evidence that clinical IT investments influence productivity in hospitals
Objective 2: Understand what productivity changes can reasonably be expected from clinical IT investments
Objective 3: Understand the relationship between productivity and clinical IT investment can help hospital executives better manage expectations
Speakers
Jeffrey R. Helton, CMA, CFE, FHFMA, Doctoral Candidate, University of Texas School of Public Health
Jeff Helton is a former health system CFO with over 25 years of industry experience and is now joining the faculty of the University of Texas School of Public
Health. Jeff has published extensively in health care fraud, financial operations, and performance benchmarking. He is a Certified Management Accountant,
a Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, a member of HIMSS.
Session 2E: E‐Prescribing Update: Towards Meaningful Use
Friday, April 29th, 8:30 ‐ 9:20 am
Session Description
E‐Prescribing is one of the most established methods for clinical message exchange in the US. Over 200,000 prescribers, the nation's leading payers and
mail order pharmacies and over 90% of community pharmacies currently exchange prescription information over a common neutral network ‐ Surescripts.
As a cornerstone of meaningful use requirements, e‐prescribing's network structure offers a highly relevant model for the broader exchange of clinical
messages, including those sent between clinicians.
This session will examine this growth, offer updates about e‐prescribing regulations and requirements ‐ including the electronic prescribing of controlled
substances including its relation to 'meaningful use' requirements and activities that will impact the growth of this technology in Texas. The session will also
review how Surescripts is supporting the growth of regional networks by offering a neutral nationwide interoperable infrastructure that will allow clinicians
to exchange clinical messages with their peers across networks, and with those that have no network affiliation.
This session aims to build understanding of e‐prescribing's growth, associated requirements under meaningful use and future needs for clinical message
exchange that will drive the need for new types of interoperable connections.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Provide an update on the status of the national network for e‐prescribing including the support of transactions for controlled substances as
approved by the DEA.
Objective 2: Outline the expansion of the Surescripts network for secure clinical interoperability on a local and national level.
Objective 3: Provide information on some of the upcoming areas of meaningful use which will be supported by Surescripts capabilities.
Speakers
Chad Aicklen, Market Development, Surescripts
Mr. Aicklen joined Surescripts in October 2002 with more than 20 years experience in technology. He has been responsible for the deployment of business
and technical systems to many of the key stakeholders in healthcare and has served on the board of the Austin HIMSS Chapter since 2009.
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Session 1F: The Use of Business Intelligence Tools in Quality Metrics Auditing and Analysis
Friday, April 29th, 9:30 ‐ 10:20 am
Session Description
SETMA tracks multiple measurement sets and provides each healthcare provider the ability to evaluate his‐or‐her own performance at the point of service.
SETMA also audits each of these quality measurement sets. SETMA analyzes treatment data with statistical analysis to evaluate the validity of its treatment
methods. This analysis allows SETMA to identify disparities of care, gaps in care, opportunities for improvement of care and which providers may need
additional training.
The SETMA Model of care is based on the following points:
1. Tracking is done by individual provider and individual patient at the point of care.
2. Auditing is done over a population of patients to identify opportunities to change procedures or process to improve care.
3. Analyzing through statistical methodologies allows SEMTA to understand the meaning of SETMA’s outcomes
4. Public reporting motivates improved performance by providers and increased confidence among patients.
5. Quality initiative planning and program execution is enabled by access to data based on meaningful metrics.
The SETMA Model of Care provides a framework for analyzing patient care and for making informed decisions to continuously improve the quality of care.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Explore the place of quality metrics in the examination room
Objective 2: Demonstrate the power of EHR to enable providers to perform excellently and to prove their performance.
Objective 3: Provide a foundation for quality improvement initiatives.
Objective 4: Describe when quality metrics impact patient outcomes and how.
Speakers
James L. Holly, MD, CEO, SETMA, LP
Dr. Holly is a leader in the utilization of EHR in ambulatory healthcare and in the use of quality metrics in improving care. He is a frequent speaker at
national conferences including HIMSS 2011. Adopting EHR in 2998, he has led his organization through a transformative process. He is a 2006 Davies
winner and a member of HIMSS PS&QO Committee and of the Quality 101 project.
Session 2F: Inspecting EHRs to Ensure Safe Use: What is Required?
Friday, April 29th, 9:30 ‐ 10:20 am
Session Description
Research and experience shows that implementing EHRs is difficult, time‐consuming, and expensive. Recently (JAMA 2010 Feb 3; 303(5):450‐1), we called
for “periodic, unannounced, random, onsite inspections of EHR systems”. We went on to specify that those inspections must address: hardware and
software, clinical content, user interfaces, user training and authorization procedures, clinical workflow and communication, organizational policies and
procedures, compliance with state and federal rules and regulations, and periodic measurements of system activity (JAMA 2009 Sep 9;302(10):1111‐3). In
medicine, "Red Flags" are taught as signs or symptoms that must not be overlooked (e.g., a finding of “swollen lymph nodes” during a routine physical
examination of the patient’s neck should be investigated to rule out potentially serious systemic infections). There are similar signs and symptoms related to
potentially dangerous situations involving implementation and use of EHRs (e.g., if backup tapes have “never been tested”, raise a red flag). Similarly, if one
were to learn that an organization is not up‐to‐date with the latest software patches from their EHR vendor or with the operating system, one should take
notice. The goal of this presentation will be to illustrate how an organization can institute an internal EHR inspection program including learning: Where to
look for potential problems? Who to ask questions of? What questions to ask? And How to identify potential Red Flags?
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Describe each of the eight dimensions of safe and effective EHR use
Objective 2: List several different methods within each of the eight dimensions of inspecting an EHR system to ensure that it is safe and effective
Objective 3: Describe how to implement an annual EHR inspection program within their healthcare organization to ensure that their clinical systems are
functioning as designed and are being used safely and effectively
Speakers
Dean F. Sittig, Professor, University of Texas, School of Biomedical Informatics
Dr. Sittig is one of the leading researchers and educators in clinical information systems design, development, use and evaluation. He is the co‐author of
several award winning books that have been published by HIMSS as well as over 150 peer‐reviewed journal articles. He was recently appointed to an ONC
Task Force investigating Unintended Consequences of Health Information Technology.
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Session 1G: Making Electronic Health Records Work for Patient Care and Your Medical Staff ‐ Free Your Doctors from Being
Enslaved by Your EHR
Friday, April 29th, 11:00 ‐ 11:50 pm
Session Description
The move from a paper based information environment to an electronic one in healthcare is inevitable. That journey has been accelerated by the HITECH
section of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. For years, providers of health care have been hearing that Computerized Physician Order Entry
and other portions of the EHR are part of the solution to an inefficient and unsafe system. Recent studies along with a recent report of the President's
Council of Science and Technology Advisors have illuminated the fact that we may not be on the right track. While the stimulus funds for the meaningful use
of certified EHR technology have increased the speed of adoption of technology, there is concern that the rapid implementation of technology, if not well
thought out, can hinder rather than help the situation. Physicians are reluctant to utilize technology that will slow them down and rightly so. Physicians are
even more reluctant to use technology that may contribute negatively to an already inefficient environment. Until we can make our new systems work for
us rather than against us, we will continue to fight an uphill battle. This session will cover small and not so small steps that healthcare systems can take to
facilitate change in a positive direction. Examples will include situations where hospitals were able to tweak their EMRs to lead physicians away from poor
choices of words in their discharge summaries that lead to denials or improper DRG assignment.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Understand that EHR installation alone will likely not solve the process problems you had prior to installation, in fact problems are likely to be
exacerbated
Objective 2: Consider that it is time to think outside of the box as we move toward a fully electronic environment, just choosing a software vendor is not
enough.
Objective 3: Explain why clinical documentation improvement efforts can and should be tied to the march toward a fully electronic environment
Objective 4: Discuss whether Quality and Safety in Healthcare remain a serious challenge for all of us, our current trends in EHR deployment are not
measuring up to the expectations we had.
Speakers
Wendy Whittington Frieling, MD, MMM, Chief Medical Officer, PHNS
Dr. Frieling, an expert translating clinical processes into business results and a practicing physician, has served in the community hospital setting as CMIO
and CIO. She works with medical staffs enabling their work to be adequately captured. She received her MD from UMDNJ, completed her residency in
pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital in Denver and her Masters at Carnegie Mellon University
Session 2G: The Dynamic Between Privacy, Safety, and Health Information Technology
Friday, April 29th, 11:00 ‐ 11:50 pm
Session Description
Providers need to be informed as fully as possible when making treatment decisions. However, patients need to feel confident that the information they
provide to clinicians will not be disclosed outside of the patient‐physician relationship without their permission and knowledge. This dynamic is magnified
when information is stored electronically, as it is easily duplicated, shared and transported over large distances. Health information technology has the
capacity to provide patients with detailed control over what information in their medical records can be viewed and by which parties. This has the potential
to increase consumer confidence in health information technology, which in turn could strengthen the patient‐provider relationship by facilitating patient
trust. However, the potential safety impact of allowing patients to make decisions related to which care providers and in what settings other providers can
access their information has created controversy. This presentation will explore the relationship between patient safety and the right to privacy in the
digital era and review national efforts attempting to address these issues.
Objectives
After viewing this talk, attendees will be able to:
Objective 1: Understand the dynamic between patient privacy and patient safety
Objective 2: Understand current efforts designed to protect patient privacy while ensuring patient safety
Speakers
Michael Stearns, MD, President and CEO, e‐MDs, Inc.
Dr. Stearns is a board certified neurologist with 15 years of clinical experience. He has over 14 years of health information technology experience and has
provided leadership to several high profile health information technology national and international projects. He is currently the president and CEO of e‐
MDs, Inc. and the board president of the Texas e‐Health Alliance.
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